Latest update February 18th, 2025 1:40 PM
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Elections not necessary to resolve Budget cut impasse – Dr. Luncheon
The debacle surrounding the government’s limitation due to the more than $37B being slashed from the 2014 Budget can be resolved without having to return to the polls.
This is according to Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon, who yesterday told reporters, “I feel that this issue with the non approval of funding can indeed be addressed without the resort to elections.”
Head of the Presidential Secretariat, Dr. Roger Luncheon
He told reporters that a decision about spending money may very well seem conclusive at the time of the passage of the Appropriation Act, even at the time of the Presidential assent.
The President is still to assent to the amended Budget which has not been published in the official gazette.
Dr. Luncheon, yesterday, did caution to “never forget what you are dealing with; the cut and thrust of the political process and indeed matters more profound have been resolved without resorting to extremes.”
The political opposition is on record as saying that it is prepared for both local government and general elections.
Finance Minister, Dr. Ashni Singh, last month presented a $220B Budget for 2014 but by the time the voting was finished, some $37.4B was slashed from the Estimates, leaving the administration with only $182.6B.
Those affected by the cuts are the Ministries of Health, Amerindian Affairs, Public Works, Finance and Office of the President.
Financial Analyst Christopher Ram, who recently weighed in on the 2014 estimates and the budget cuts said, “It would be easy to regard the amended Budget 2014 as a done deal and therefore a victory of sorts for the opposition.”
Ram observed that when the Finance Minister Dr. Singh made his announcement, that he would present an amended Appropriation Bill to exclude all the not approved amounts, he must be presumed to have consulted with the President and his Cabinet colleagues, including the Attorney General.
“Most persons I have spoken with expect a response from the Government even if the amended 2014 Appropriation Bill is approved by the President…At best, we will have the first Supplementary Appropriation Bill for 2014 to restore the non-controversial items which were the victims of collateral damage.”
Ram said, too, that some persons have taken 2012 as a guide and believe that the Minister of Finance will simply release the funds that have been removed by the opposition and accepted by the Government in the amended Appropriation Act.
“Still others expect the Attorney General to return to court with the argument that the Presidency is a constitutional office subject to a direct charge on the Consolidated Fund and therefore immune from approval or non-approval…
There is merit in that argument and some money will have to be restored to allow the Office to function effectively.”
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